News
Issue #2002 - 44 (November 2002)
(Updated Nov. 20, 2002)

INFRASTRUCTURE, PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Actix Announces New GPRS Service Verification Solution

6 November - London, UK - Actix has launched a GPRS Service Verification Solution (SVS) that specifically addresses the unique challenges brought about by the convergence of IP and wireless networks. Its GPRS SVS has been developed in conjunction with mobile operators to address the host of new network performance issues brought about by the highly complex interaction of wireless and IP networks, created by the rapid rollout of GPRS Services. As a result of this, basic subscriber-perceived QoS metrics, such as data session initiation and attach failures, have alarmingly been observed at
levels of 75% or even higher in new GPRS networks.

Actix' claims its new GPRS SVS can save network operators' time and money by providing their engineers with easy access to key performance and diagnostic information necessary to optimize the quality of GPRS-based services. The solution will enable verification of subscriber-perceived Quality of Service and accelerates root-cause analysis of underlying problems that lead to poor QoS.

Actix' GPRS SVS claims to provide automated performance reports based on IP sniffer, test mobile, scanner and call trace data sources. Using these reports, engineers can identify abnormal performance and then study both IP and radio network diagnostic data to determine the root-cause of the problem.

Problems such as low throughput can be caused by a variety of problems, some related to the IP or core network and others related to the radio network. With voice networks, engineers could largely troubleshoot performance by looking at radio and core network data separately. To resolve service-degrading problems in GPRS networks, engineers must have tools that integrate data from both the IP and radio worlds. Only then can engineers resolve the problems common to GPRS deployments, thereby improving subscribers' perception of new services.

Actix GPRS SVS includes full support for GSM voice service verification in addition to its support for new GPRS services. Actix' new Service Verification Solution enables verification of subscriber-perceived Quality of Service and accelerates root-cause analysis of underlying problems which lead to poor QoS.

Commenting on the introduction of the GRPS Service Verification Solution, Rob Dobson, Actix' CEO, said: "Many operators are relying on GPRS-based services as a key element of their strategy to drive up ARPU. As new services and devices for transmitting data are launched and traffic increases, more pressure will be placed on the GPRS networks. Network Operators should be using this time, while GPRS traffic is still relatively low, to optimize their networks."

Actix has considerable experience in network rollout, formed largely from its work with US operators during the rollout of CDMA, 3G's underlying architecture. Today Actix range of network performance and optimization solutions is used by over 100 mobile network operators in 20 countries.

For more information: www.actix.com

MobileInfo Comments and Advisory: Network verification software is an important functionality that infrastructure implementation vendors should provide to the operators. We want to commend Actix to provide a service like this. 

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